FT: Putin's Party Suffers Regional Poll Defeats over Pension Anger

Vladimir Putin's ruling party has lost three regional governorships as anger at reforms to Russia's pension system dented its popularity and loosened the Kremlin's iron grip on the ballot box. Candidates of Mr Putin's United Russia party lost to nationalist challengers in run-off votes to elect regional governors in Khabarovsk and Vladimir, while the party's candidate withdrew from the Khakassia race after being forced into a second round. The defeats announced on Monday come amid nationwide anger at government plans to raise the retirement age by five years, triggering protests across dozens of big cities and sending Mr Putin's personal popularity sliding to a low not seen for more than a decade.